The Tribune had a short but interesting article today about possible live work spaces for artists on the East Side. It's true the East Side hasn't seen many city initiated steps for arts spaces and as usual commissioner Sam Adams appears to be in the thick of it all. The arts are becoming more and more of a political issue here but we hadn't seen much movement yet. Here's a no brainer, create a suitcase travel fund for Portland artists. They are ambassadors and it's odd that I can bring artists here using the funds of other cities but can't send Portland artists elsewhere with similar programs. Have a small oversight committee of 3 well versed and active curators to determine who gets the nod.

*Update: Also, the WWeek had this piece on funding cuts which effect the IFCC and the Multnomah Arts Center. Every major neighborhood in the city should have an neighborhood arts space.

"Every major neighborhood in the city should have an neighborhood arts space."
I couldn't agree more, especially in the 'art districts' like Alberta, where 'art' is literally in the streets, but yet the local elementary school in this 'art district' does not offer a single art class due to funding cuts. Art is not an elitist practice, or at least it shouldn't be, it should be accessible to everyone. Once more of the community has access and appreciation for 'art' we will see more support and funding for it.

Uh huh.

Im from Wisconsin where every city with 15,000 people or more seems to have a community arts space, often with professional programming. Maybe it's because the weather is too hot or too cold for 75% of the year but Portland needs to really asses itself iin terms of cultural community infrastructure.

The arts die by neglect and luckilly there is a longstanding tradition of arty people in thge city to keep it alive... yet that has lead to a certain form of civic neglect.

No matter what people may say about Joseph Beuys, he was certainly being honest about one thing. "Every man is an artist." Too bad most of our society does not see the importance of art.

I was reading The Atlantic (not really a good cource for anything) and the had a list that was the "Top 100 Most Influential Americans." Not a single fine artist. If this was fucking France or Italy, there would at lleast be one artist!

And apparently I have troubles spelling words today.